Immigration Law Training

CLINIC provides high-quality immigration training to nonprofit immigration legal service providers. Each year CLINIC helps more than 1,000 nonprofit agency staff expand their immigration law expertise. Trainings cover substantive immigration law topics, as well as courses to improve practical skills. Its more popular trainings include Introduction to Immigration Law; Family-Based Immigration; Naturalization and Citizenship; Relief for Victims of Domestic Violence; and Relief from Removal. CLINIC attorneys in Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco also conduct local trainings for member agencies and speak frequently at national conferences. In addition, CLINIC conducts bi-weekly 90-minute web-based trainings on discrete immigration law topics.

Below are descriptions of CLINIC's most popular trainings.

1. INTRODUCTION TO IMMIGRATION LAW

This basic, two-day training provides an overview of immigration law and is designed for new practitioners. The subjects covered will include family-based immigration law and procedures, grounds of inadmissibility and deportability, overview of removal proceedings, defenses to removal, naturalization, and BIA recognition and accreditation procedures.

Next Offered:

Dallas, TX – Oct 22-23rd

2. FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRATION LAW TRAINING

This two-day training offers practitioners at all levels of experience in-depth substantive law, practice tips, and hands-on practical experience in family-based immigration. Topics will include overview of family immigration, eligibility for adjustment of status, consular processing, grounds of inadmissibility, waivers of inadmissibility, and the affidavit of support requirements.

3. IMMIGRATION LEGAL SKILLS

This two-day training focuses on improving skills in client interviewing, legal research, and legal writing. Through presentations and group exercises, participants have an opportunity to develop and practice effective client interviewing techniques; learn methods for conducting legal research using immigration source books and the Internet; and practice writing clearly and persuasively. The training covers specific types of persuasive legal writing for immigration cases, including letters, declarations, and motions

4. IMMIGRATION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

This training covers critical management areas: the elements of management to ensure program viability, strategic planning, managing financial performance and costs, setting and collecting fees, case management standards, using technology, promoting staff development, and developing resources. It features a presentation on the effective use of web-based demography tools to identify immigrant populations for services, as well as lessons learned from the last legalization. It will focus on the need to prepare now for building capacity within and outside of our network.

5. IMMIGRATION LAW AND CRIMES

This two-day training will review crime-based inadmissibility and deportability issues, the significance of having a crime classified as an aggravated felony, crime bars to good moral character, and an overview of available immigration remedies. Participants will also discuss practice points for representing an immigrant with a criminal record. In addition, the training will review how people are placed in removal proceedings, the rights of aliens stopped and/or detained by ICE, and what happens after court proceedings commence.

6. COURT ADVOCACY SKILLS

In this three-day training, participants will go through all the stages of case preparation and court advocacy. The training covers case analysis and formulating a theory of the case, bond hearings and master calendar hearings, evidence issues, opening and closing statements, and direct and cross-exam. As part of the training, students will observe and critique mock hearings and participate in a mock hearing as a client advocate, witness or ICE trial attorney.

7. VAWA, U AND T

This training will cover the self-petitioning process and cancellation of removal under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), including review of the eligibility requirements, new legislative changes and guidance in gathering supporting documentation. The training will also review other potential remedies for abused immigrants, including gender-based asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, and the T and U visas for victims of trafficking and certain designated crimes.

8. U NONIMMIGRANT STATUS

This intensive one day training course covers the law and procedure of U nonimmigrant status for victims of certain crimes. Participants will learn about the eligibility requirements for U status, waivers of the grounds of inadmissibility and strategies for preparing a winning application. The training also covers applying for adjustment of status for U nonimmigrants. This is an interactive training with both individual and group exercises.

9. NATURALIZATION/CITIZENSHIP

This training is designed for practitioners who want to improve their skills at naturalization law. It will cover the new legislative changes on derived naturalization, acquired citizenship, the effect of criminal convictions, establishing good moral character, abandonment of permanent residency, appeals of denials, and federal court actions.

10. ASYLEE/REFUGEE ISSUES

This one-day training will review immigration issues affecting refugees and asylees, including procedures for gaining status; applications for derivative beneficiaries; employment and travel issues; the “material support” ground of inadmissibility; termination of status; and adjustment of status and waivers.

11. BARS AND WAIVERS

This training will cover the most common grounds of inadmissibility: health, crimes, fraud, prior deportation, and unlawful presence. It will then offer guidance on completing waiver applications and gathering the necessary supporting documentation to satisfy the statutory requirements.

12. RELIGIOUS IMMIGRATION TRAINING

These trainings are directed to staff of Catholic Charities programs with 501(c)(3) status. They offer the following topics: basic concepts of immigration law, applicable laws and regulations, R-1 nonimmigrant visas, special immigrant visas for religious works, and practice pointers. Contact CLINIC’s Division of Religious Immigration Services (DRIS) at 202/756-5549 for more information on religious immigration trainings.